The modern market offers a variety of materials for upholstering the interiors of expensive and budget cars. Today, the most popular is Alcantara. Fabric production began in the 70s at one of the Italian factories.
- Alcantara - what kind of material is it?
- What does it consist of?
- Description and characteristics
- Scope of use of the material
- Alcantara: upholstery without glue
- Car ceiling pasting with Alcantara
- Steering wheel trim with Alcantara
- Self-adhesive film and Alcantara fabric: similarities and differences
- Where is it sold and how much does it cost?
Alcantara - what kind of material is it?
Many people often ask themselves: is it genuine leather or artificial fabric? Alcantara is made from ultra-microfiber. It is an artificial material that is not yet 50 years old. During this short time, it has spread throughout the world. Alcantara fabric is artificial suede. It was created in Japan in the 70s of the last century. The patent for the fabric belongs to the Italian company Alcantara SpA
What does it consist of?
The fabric is 80% polyester and 20% polyurethane. The figures may vary: 65% polyester, 35% polyurethane. Non-woven polyester is obtained by processing microfiber. Non-fibrous polyurethane is also used.
In the production of modern fabric, the material undergoes textile and chemical processing. It requires dressing, dyeing, impregnation, perforation. The manufacturer uses different degrees of processing to preserve the unique qualities of the product. A special role in the production of the material is played by its puncturing, after which the fibers are impregnated with glue.
Description and characteristics
Before purchasing this material, you need to familiarize yourself with its main characteristics.
Alcantara properties:
- the presence of a short pile, which is better than that of artificial suede;
- elastic surface, like natural leather;
- wear-resistant material that never deforms;
- soft to the touch;
- does not emit harmful substances;
- does not cause allergic reactions;
- the material is resistant to ultraviolet rays;
- resistant to chemical and mechanical processes.
Scope of use of the material
The impeccable quality of the material and its excellent performance properties allow it to be used in various areas:
- for car interior upholstery;
- as upholstery material for furniture;
- for the production of interior items;
- when sewing clothes;
- for interior decoration of restaurants, casinos, hotels;
- for interior decoration of yachts and airplanes.
Important! Most often, this material is used for re-upholstering premium and business class car interiors. Alcantara is suitable for full seat re-upholstery, and it can be advantageously combined with genuine leather.
Also, within the framework of tuning, Alcantara for cars can be used for re-upholstering the ceiling, as well as for decorating individual elements in the interior (for example, the upholstery of the steering wheel, door pillars, armrests, dashboard). Some owners of sports cars prefer to re-upholster the steering wheel with Alcantara to increase comfort during the trip.
Today, many well-known automobile manufacturers use this material for the initial interior trim.
Alcantara: upholstery without glue
For upholstering vehicle interiors, Alcantara without glue of various thicknesses is used: for ceilings, seats, panels, doors. The color of the material depends on the style of the car itself.
Please note! The material is quite durable, with a low thermal conductivity coefficient, and repels moisture well. The car owner will not worry that mold may appear on the ceiling after upholstery, that the fabric will stretch, or lose color.
Soft, velvety to the touch, Alcantara allows the driver and passengers to feel comfortable inside the car. The fabric is much more elastic than leather, which makes upholstery a less labor-intensive process. The material can be easily adjusted to panels, seats, ceiling curves without glue, and it always looks presentable.
Car ceiling pasting with Alcantara
There are a number of reasons why and because of what it is necessary to cover the car ceiling with Alcantara. There are plenty of options here, but the most common reason is damage to the ceiling upholstery. This can happen both after a long period of use and due to careless attitude to the car.
Important! The technology for the main types of work is practically no different from re-upholstering ceilings with other materials.
Initially, you will have to remove the upper ceiling surface to prepare for sewing. The condition of the previous upholstery is determined. If it is in good condition, then Alcantara can be applied directly to it. You can cover the Italian material with a special adhesive solution. After applying the product to the surface, you need to wait until it dries. Then the procedure is repeated again. As a rule, this product is applied as a primer to provide additional adhesion. Next, the adhesive solution is applied to the fabric itself, after which you can begin the main process of re-upholstery.
When performing this procedure, you need to stretch the material onto the surface. If there are bubbles, folds, creases or other defects, it will look unsightly. Therefore, it is very important to read the manufacturer's instructions before performing the work.
Steering wheel trim with Alcantara
Steering wheel wrapping is the most "jewelry" part of the work on wrapping the interior with Alcantara. Many drivers order this service. It allows you to improve the grip on the steering wheel, as well as keep the situation on the road under complete control. Even on the steepest turns, the steering wheel will not slip out of your hands.
In addition to this purely technical side of the issue, re-covering the steering wheel with Alcantara allows you to get more pleasure from driving a car. The warm velvety material will give the driver exceptionally pleasant tactile sensations. Even after many hours of parking in the cold, while the car's interior has not yet warmed up, the steering wheel covered with Alcantara will not allow your fingers to freeze.
Artificial elastic suede is very practical. After a long period of use, it does not shine, as is usually the case with natural suede. To cover the steering wheel with Alcantara, the fabric does not need to be cut or sewn, which is required when working with artificial and natural leather. It is simply immediately firmly glued to the plastic. The joint of the edges of the material is completely invisible.
The elastic woven base of this material allows you to easily go around any surface irregularities. Another distinctive feature of self-adhesive suede is that it is very easy to replace. You just need to carefully peel off the old Alcantara, and then put the new one in its place, carefully smoothing it out and releasing air bubbles from under the folds.
Please note! The steering wheel covered with Alcantara is not only convenient to use, but also looks impressive. Aesthetics in this matter is of no small importance, because the driver most often has to see this part of the car interior.
Self-adhesive film and Alcantara fabric: similarities and differences
Currently, there are two materials that are similar in appearance, but fundamentally different in the manufacturing method and characteristics. We are talking about a comparison of self-adhesive Alcantara and a film with a velvet coating.
The base for the Alcantara film is regular vinyl, the same as that used in glossy or matte car vinyl. A velvet layer is applied on top of the base, which makes the film look like Alcantara. This material has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantages include a low price. In addition, Alcantara car film stretches well.
There are also plenty of disadvantages. The pile on the surface of the film wears off very quickly, leaving smooth vinyl in the place of frequent exposure. The service life is several times shorter than that of self-adhesive artificial suede. The choice, as always, remains with the buyer: to overpay a little and get a durable material or save money, knowing that the service life of the film is several times shorter.
Please note! Alcantara care does not require much effort. The material can be washed in a washing machine. Over time, the fabric does not lose its attractive appearance. Every car owner can remove stains or clean dust on their own. Professional cleaning is recommended twice a year: at the end of winter and after the summer season to remove sand.
Where is it sold and how much does it cost?
Alcantara is in great demand among numerous car manufacturers. This material is sold on many online resources. The cost depends on the quality, area of application, color and other important characteristics. Prices start from 700 rubles per 1 m*. Delivery is possible to all regions of Russia.
Thus, Alcantara has more advantages than disadvantages. Many may be put off by the high cost, but, for example, for upholstery of a car interior, you can overpay, knowing that there will be no problems with maintenance of the material.
*Prices are valid as of May 2019.
